Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-03-16

on THE BRINK.
By HARRIET A. CHEEvER.
CONTINUED from Yesterday.

he said ''an inconvenlent expense IN the
way of sickness had to be met now that
can say owe no man anything at the close
of the year expect love to a]l-there is no
money left for luxuries. But then," he
added cheerilv, II thank God we are all
we'll and need no margin for Injuries"
Then, on leaving the market. MIR. CHS
holm encountered :he nearest relative he
had in the world. Uncle Timothy Chisholm
a luckless old man who was forever be-
wailing his hard, unjust fate. For Uncle
Timothy declared and believed himself the
rghttul owner ofcertain plots of land with
in the city limits, which, had they really
been his property would have constituted
him a rich man forthwith. But "Uncle
Timothy and his claims" had become sort
oil forlorn Jest, although his nephew treat
ed him kindly and frequently invited him
to dinner of Sunday, when his unacknowl-
edged claims were. sure to furnish the
doleful topic of conversation.
This morning Uncle Timothy was IN
particularly uncomfortable frame OF mind,
for a young lawyer who had been looking
into his case had reported unfavoribly as to
the results OF his investig cations, and where
would the money come from to pay the law
yer9
Arrived at the office, he was not cheered
by finding that the prospect was he would
be alone fer several hours, and meeting
of the directors was to be held that day
All the morning the figures IN the great
ledger seemed burning themselves into the
treasurer's brain, and the haunting score
of those unpaid bills kept parading before
his excited vision. Then the probable cost
OF such reception as his wife was bent on
giving caused a rapid succession of side
calculations not consoling to his perturbed
mind. But this was not the worst OF it.
Far more dreadful and distracting than
all else, came the haunting demon of a
terrible suggestion-nOt presenting itself
for the first time-which kept lodging in
and out OF his tired brain and dancing be-
fore his troubled eyes.
1t was soon after lunch that, still alone
in the office, he suddenly stopped writ
ing and stood motionless, as if halt
paralyzed by some dreadful revelation.
AS he gazed, spell bound, on the open
page before him, he whispered hoarsely ::
"Ah here is where it could be accom-
plished easily enough" For with the
shrewd, accurate forecasting OF the skilled
accountant he had seen and instantly
realized Just where false entry on that
clean page would enable him to wipe out
his outstanding liabilities and render it
needless to disappoint his dear little wife
concerning the Christmas party. Only
one brief entry and the relief he would
experience.
Every nerve in his body tingled and
thrilled, as grasping his pen he essayed
to put in the fateful line. He paused for
an instant, angry that his hand had twitched
nervously, then with violent start and
sudden curse the pen slipped from his
nerveless fingers to the floor.
The Office boy passing the closed door
at that critical moment when John CHS
holm was trying to steady his hand, had
sung out in what to the mans quivering
senses seemed a weird, gbbering voice ::
"On the brink, on the brink"
Only snatch from the chorus of an
old song, but the poor treasurer, with his
hands clasped behind him. strobe rapidly
up and down the long office, his mind
filled with pictures crowding fast and yet
faster before his dsordered imagination.
In his overweight state he seemed to
consider the deed really done, for at last
he exclaimed. "i'll take it out! I'll take
it out; it shan't appear against me! And
Selling the fallen pen he stared blankly
at the last line IN the ledger, until fully
realizing the truth. he said family.
Thank God, | hadn't entered it after
allr'
A few moments later clerk entered
and Mr.. Chisholm started for home saying
he should not return to the office that day
| AS Helen Chisholm, an underlined terror
ut her heart, lowered about the great chair
into which her husband had flung himself
| pale and haggard, implored to know wha
could have happened, he burst out witt
a kind of desperate determination to tel
all in breath:
Listen, my love. and you will under
stand it all in moment. | saw myself a.
one-of these defauters 1t came about il
this way: Because our expenses were fa
in excess of our legitimate income, ant
because have been too weak to give W
my own personal pleasure or to induce
you to modify yours, began months agt
to plot and plan some way of escape GU
of the increasing tolls of debt and embar
rassment. Finally began dreaming un
easily of what seemed an easy way t
elude my perplexities. Only one spurious
entry in the account books committed t,
nv care, and the load was lifted. Blu. tn,
relief was only temporary. Pretty sool
another false entry was necessary to re
lieve fresh Indebtedness, then a third, AM
fourth, until |, John Chisholm, was al
embezzler to an amount it became Difficult
to manage. All at once there was
breath of suspicon-a crash-exposure-
trial-separation from you. my best be
loved-a felon's cell and convict's garb-
prison labor,-Helen Helen was OF
the brink on the brink when somehow
the mercy of God saved me -
The passionate recital brought relief
then the husband and wife talked calml
together for hours. But long before tn
lengthy conference was ended, John CHS
holm had tested the look of half-reveale
frmness and strength that for him had al
ways lurked in the depth of his wife
brown ewes.
Early the next morning Helen Chisholm
called at an engraver's and countermande
the order she had lett the day before. The
she tripped lightly to the minister's door
and with womanly ring in her youn
voice. invited Mrs. Price with her tamil
to dine with her on Christmas Day. Mex
a note of invitation was despatched t
poor old Uncle Timothy.
And the quiet pleasure of the day 81
impressed Uncle Timothy,t really forme,
a new topic of thought and conversation
for little while.-but only for a littl
while.